A Finding Aid to the Herbert Aach Papers, 1942-1988, in the Archives of American Art, by Jean Fitzgerald and Eden Orelove

Table of Contents:

Biographical Information

Painter, art instructor and writer Herbert Aach (1923-1985) worked primarily in New York City. Born in Cologne, Germany, Aach came to the United States in 1939. He taught at the Brooklyn Museum School (1947-1951), Pratt Institute (1966-1969), and at Queens College (1966-1985). In 1971 he was editor and translator of Goethe's Color Theory. Aach was president of the Artists Technical Research Institute, which was founded in 1959 by Bena Frank and Ralph Mayer to conduct scientific and educational research of materials and methods used in the visual arts.

Overview of the Collection

Scope and Contents

The papers of New York painter, art instructor and writer Herbert Aach (1923-1985) measure 2.4 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1988. Papers include biographical materials, correspondence, scattered financial and legal records, notes and writings, subject files, a scrapbook, printed materials, photographs, and one videocassette.

Legal records include materials relating to a lawsuit against Larry Rivers for a lease termination. Letters are from colleagues including Emily Genauer and Edwin W. Zoller regarding exhibitions and other art-related matters and brief letters from Elaine DeKooning, John Ferren, Adolph Gottlieb, and Rufino Tamayo. Subject files are found for many organizations of which Aach was a member, including the American Society for Testing and Materials, the Artists Technical Research Institute, and the Inter-Society Color Council. Printed materials include one scrapbook, clippings, and exhibition catalogs. There is documentation of Aach's work translating and editing Goethe's Color Theory, one 55 minute videocassette entitled Herbert Aach by Albright Knox Gallery, and photographs of Aach and his artwork.

Arrangement and Series Description

The collection is arranged as 8 series. Records are generally arranged by material type and chronologically thereafter.

Subjects and Names

This collection is indexed in the online catalog of the Archives of American Art under the following terms:

Subjects:

Rivers, Larry, 1925-2002

De Kooning, Elaine

Ferren, John, 1905-1970

Genauer, Emily, 1910-

Tamayo, Rufino, 1899-

Zoller, Edwin W., 1900-1967

American Society for Testing and Materials

Artist's Technical Research Institute

Inter-Society Color Council

Subjects-Topical:

Artists' materials

Art teachers--New York (State)--New York

Painters--New York (State)--New York

Types of Materials:

Photographs

Video recordings

Scrapbooks

Provenance

Herbert and Doris Aach donated the papers to the Archives of American Art in 1984 and 1989.

How the Collection was Processed

The collection was arranged and cataloged by Jean Fitzgerald in 1991. The finding aid was created by Eden Orelove in 2011.

How to Use the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.

Ownership & Literary Rights

The Herbert Aach papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

How to Cite this Collection

Detailed Description and Container Inventory

Series 1:
Biographical Material, circa 1985

Biographical materials include a resume, exhibition records and three biographical essays about Aach.

Box

Folder

1

1

Biographical Material, 1985, undated

Series 2:
Correspondence, 1949-1988

Correspondence is primarily between Aach and various art suppliers and chemical analysis laboratories concerning the technical standards for artists' materials. Also included are letters from colleagues including Emily Genauer and Edwin W. Zoller regarding exhibitions and other art-related matters and brief letters from Elaine DeKooning, John Ferren, Adolph Gottlieb, and Rufino Tamayo agreeing to write recommendations for Aach.

Box

Folder

1

2

Correspondence, undated

1

3-29

Correspondence, 1949-1988

(27 folders)

Series 3:
Financial Material, 1964-1981

(Box 1; 1 folder)

Financial material includes a grant proposal to study the serialization and color programming of Gothic rose windows, a price list for fluorochemical additives, and four invoices for the sale of paintings and for supplies.

Box

Folder

1

30

Financial Records, 1964-1981

Series 4:
Legal Records, 1951-1986

(Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)

Legal records include two contracts with the Creative Gallery, consignment agreements, and material relating to a law suit against Larry Rivers concerning the termination of Aach's lease on his studio.

Box

Folder

1

31

Contracts with Creative Gallery and Consignment Agreements, 1951-1978

1

32-34

Loft Lease, Aach v. Rivers, 1980-1981

(3 folders)

1

35-37

Transcript of examination before trial, Aach v. Rivers, 1984

(3 folders)

1

38

Loft Lease, Aach v. Rivers, 1984-1986

Series 5:
Notes, 1961-1984

(Box 1; 6 folders)

Notes include technical data on paint, exhibition guest registers, and a notebook with outlines for classes taught at Queen's College.

Box

Folder

1

39

Notebook for Color, Design Class, undated

1

40

Queens College Notebook, circa 1968-1984

1

41

Color Course at Queens College, 1971-1973

1

42

Data on Paint, 1961

1

43

Exhibition Guest Registers, 1964-1968

1

44-45

Miscellaneous Notes, undated

(2 folders)

Series 6:
Writings, 1950-1985

(Boxes 1-2; 0.2 linear feet)

Writings include texts for lectures, miscellaneous writings by Aach on art techniques and materials, evaluations by students, Gail O'Brien's master's thesis entitled "The Painter's Approach Toward Serialization in Modern Painting", and information about printmaking by Jack Stewart.

Series 7:
Subject Files, 1942-1984

(Box 2; 0.6 linear feet)

Subject files contain letters, notes, and printed material concerning the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the Artists Technical Research Insitute, Inc. (ATRI), the Color Forum, the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), the Inter-Society Color Council (ISCC), New York Bridges, and the "Structure of Color" exhibition at the Whitney Museum. Also included is the book Goethe's Color Theory, which is translated and edited by Aach. The ATRI file contains correspondence between Ralph and Bena Frank Mayer, Ralston Crawford, Rutherford J. Gettens, and others concerning the establishment of ATRI, a copy of the by-laws, technical reports, and minutes of meetings.